Quote Originally Posted by Garland View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Miriel View Post
I don't really understand how your impressions about this adjustment went completely opposite of the reaction of most Summoners which was basically elation and excitement.
My response wasn't an impression of the update. I didn't comment in that regard. My post was the average party or FFXI community being forced to reword their excuse as to why summoners will still be pigeonholed into main healing. I think the update is going to be pretty cool, but I don't think it'll change community placement of the job in a party. If I end up wrong, that's great. I've always wanted summoners to exp as summoners.
The title you chose for this thread specifically implied that the job of Summoner was somehow diminished by this update, when in fact, the enjoyment people get from this job will probably go up a significant amount with these new adjustments.

What's a summoner gonna do during their time in between bloodpacts other than main heal? Well, I dunno. Maybe they could do what *I* usually end up doing in parties which is backup heal. With the new bloodpact timers, there's gonna be more opportunities to cast buffs, and cast damage attacks, have the avatars melee in between and the Summoner themself can throw out cures when needed.

Worthless bloodpacts? How many of the people on this forum consider BPs to be worthless? Because I've never partied with anyone who considered my bloodpacts worthless and I certainly don't believe that's the prevailing belief in the FFXI community. Buffs such as Earthen Ward and Hastega are very valuable to a party, and I would think most people realize that.

Do people rely on SMNs as main healers when there's a shortage of WHMs or RDMs? Sure! But that doesn't mean people won't allow for this or won't allow for that. Besides, if I don't want to main heal, I won't. Sometimes I don't mind main healing. Other times I'll just wait for a party that already has a healer or create a party of my own.

Is this update revolutionary for SMNs? Heck no. But it does allow us to do more. More buffs, more damage, just MORE for the job class. And that's just an all around great thing.